Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-29

the image is invariably seen in accordance
! with the primitive conditions, although
absolutely no difference is detected By
: the normal vision between the two blank
surfaces of the sheet.
, One experiment brings out this fac;
, clearly. On white sheet of paper is
. placed q card equally white; with fine
; point, but without touching the paper
! the contour Of the card is followed, while
the idea of line traced in BLACK is sug-
gested to the subject The subject, when
awakened, is asked to fold the paper &C
cording to these imaginary lines. He
holds the paper at the distance at which
it was g. the moment of the suggestion,
and folds IL in the form Of rectangle
exactly superposgbIe on the card.
a curious experiment IN the same line
has been often repeated by Professor
Charcot. The subject is given the sug-
gestion of portrait on q white card,
which is then shufiied up with a dozen
cards, all alike. On awakening, the SUD
iect is asked to run over the collection
without being told the reason
why it ia wished. Wien ne comes
to the card on which had been To-
Gated the imaginary portrait, he at once
perceives II. "0ne detail of these ex-
periments is very significant. Surprising
we show the imaginary portrait ST dis
tsnce of two yards from the subjects
eyes, the card appears white, whereas 9
real photograph would appear gray. It
, is gradually brought nearer, the imsg:n-
Gry portrait at last appears, but it is
necessary for it TO be much nearer than
an ordinary photograph for the patient to
recognize the subject. By means of opera
glasses we can make the patient recog-
nize her halluCinatiOn st a distance at
which she could not perceive il with the
naked eye. In short, the imaginary object
which figures in the hallucination is per-
CeiVed under the same conditions as if it
were real" Various other experiments
are detailed in support of this formula.
The OperaglasseS only act as if they are
focused upon the point of ballucination, |
and in the case of a short-sighted |
subject they had to be altered to allow for |
the defect of vision. If the patient looks |
through prism the image is seen dupli-
Gated, although the subject is absolutely |
ignorant of the properties of prism, as
we'll as Of the fact that the glass is q
prism. The hypothesis favored by the
authors to account for these and similar
facts is that OF the "point of rediscove-
ry," the image being associated with
some slight detail of the white card
when the suggestion wRs made, such as
point or grain or other peculiarly of the
surface imperCeptible to the normal Wis
ion. One of the most convincing argu-
ments in support of this hypothesis is the
act that photograph of the plain white
lard used when the portrait was sug-
yested may be substituted, and, on being
shown to the patient, the hallucinatory
mage is seen just the same, ever two
ears after the original experiment, and |
vas done in one case.
joME STRANGE PHENOMENA OF POLARITY
re related. The following experiments :
" NM. Binet and Fore are given in illus
ration; awe gave I patient il somnem-
,ulism the common halIuCiDation of
Dird poised on her finger. While she is I
aressing the imaginary bird she is |
Weakened and magnet is brought near {
.er head After few minutes she stops 6
hort, raises her eyes and looks lout in
The bird which was on I
Ter fin ger hiss disappeared. She looks
ii over the ward, and at last finds 1t, for (
ye hear her say: so you thought you
would leave me, little bird?' After 8
ew minutes the bird disappears anew, 5
atient complains from time to time OF I
'ain in the head at point corresponding /
0 what has been described in this !
,ook as the visual center some 8
distance above and slightly pos :
erior to the ear :" The mag 9
let also has the same effect in suspending :
cal perception. One of the patients =
vas shown Chinese gong and striker, :,
nd took fright on sight of the instrument. !
When blow was struck, she instantly 8
ell into catalepsy. She was re-awakened,
nd asked to look attentively st the
ong; meanwhile without her knowledge,
small magnet was brought near her
cad. After a minute the instrument had t
disappeared from her sight. f
When it was struck with redoubled force,
he only looked from side to side with an
If Of slight establishment. In the case | +
t a cOlored figure the magnet causes :
be patient to see the Complementary :
oloT. A red object, whether real or :
becomes green, yellow be- 8
ONES violet, etc.
This book shows the positive methods >,
ow adopted by science in the treatment :
this important subject. Although i
&rdly more than beginning has yet
cen made in the exploration of its vast
nj intricate problems, the foundations G
the work are being laid in q mos sub
Lsntial manner. What mysteries may
ct be laid bare can hardly be con- '
'ctured. At sill events the results can e
Of fail TO have q great pathological {
alue, and it seems probable that, o
18th conditions once accurately estab- a
ehed, sinestimable gains may be made a
| the treatment Of disease, particularly
lose disorders of nervous or mental d
ature. * +